One for Me, One for You
9 years ago by
Yeaaaahhhh! Shout out to all the amazing fashion companies out there giving back!!! (You know who you are.)
Is there anything better than getting that gottahaveitrightnow thing AND knowing you’re giving something back to someone, somewhere who really needs it?
In fashion, this idea of buying and giving back when you do is becoming more common, and it really speaks to my heart. There’s Toms, the shoes, and Warby Parker who gives a pair of reading glasses to someone in need for every pair bought by those who can, and I’ve started to notice even smaller companies aiming to do the same.
Westward Leaning do sunglasses and each pair (like the one in the image from the editor’s letter today) has a certain kind of stone inlaid on the arms – that corresponds with the cause that will be donated to if you buy that pair, from ocean to rainforest conservation. And the other day I bought a beautiful blanket from India from a market. The couple who runs the stall donates 100% of the proceeds to women’s education in India through Girl2B.
I just think it’s cool, considerate and pretty incredible that people in the industry are reconfiguring what impact fashion can have on the world…
Do you feel like you gravitate more towards companies that give back too? Are there some others out there that I should know about??!
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Thinx! For every pair of underwear you buy, they send funds to their partner organization, AFRIpads, which is on the ground in Uganda with 130 employees and four factories. AFRIpads trains women to sew and sell washable, reusable cloth pads, turning local women into entrepreneurs. A girl is able to purchase an affordable and sustainable pack of pads, keeping them in school every day of the month. (< from their website).
People don't like to talk about it but all over the world, girls have to miss days of school when they're on their periods. They fall behind and are forced to drop out.
I just discovered this company yesterday! Will be buying my first pair of underwear from them soon.
Check them out: http://www.shethinx.com/.
Jessica
That’s cool! The reason that it’s cool is that they’re training people instead of just donating stuff. Seriously guys, Tom’s sounds great but that kind of behaviour is sort of ruining economies.
We shouldn’t give make a point of giving people in Africa stuff – we should train them to do and sell their own stuff. That’s what empowers people. The opposite stops people who are trying to become self-made humans…imagine if you were a shoe designer in a rural part of a small African country and your compatriots were being gifted things all the time because white people knew you were poor…?
A big YES. :-)
I am more willing to support (and invest in) companies who give back over big designer labels. I love what Tom’s Shoes does and will look into Warby Parker. xo
Nous on est en train de monter une petit boite solidaire à New York: on vendra dès fin Octobre des bonnets et snoods tricotés par des mamies new yorkaises! Ca s’appelle Wooln, et ça sera lancé fin Octobre quand il commencera à faire froid. L’idée est de valoriser le savoir faire des personnes agées et de les remunerer pour leur talent. Et pour l’acheteur, c’est un moyen d’avoir un produit canon, tricoté à la main, local, et chaud (on ne fait que de la pure laine ou de l’alpaca).
We’re launching a socially responsible fashion brand here in New York: WOOLN. We’re going to sell cool knits hand made in New York by senior knitters! The idea is to value those hidden talents and pump up our knitter’s pensions! And for buyers, it’s great to by something personal, know who made it, and our knits look amazing, and are super warm and high quality (we use top notch wool or alpaca yarn).
My friend Tom does beautiful jewelry out of tin cans. http://www.cannedgoods.net
He gives a can to a local food bank for each item purchased. The story of how it began is priceless!! And the jewelry is very sleek and cool!
Yes! I love brands that give back. Also, all those brands that use recycled leather!
http://hashtagliz.com
Thank you for Thinx Jessica…Thanks for the tip, I have already sent it to a friend!
Hi.
For anyone interested in this issue / area of ethics in fashion I highly recommend watching this new documentary The True Cost:
http://truecostmovie.com/
Jenny x
sure of course…but what about the employers that take advantage of there employee….goods that come form undeveloped countries ..that exploit children women ….endless..being aware and being an angel to help some one …is alway good
I think it’s great that companies, especially those in the fashion world, give back to those in need. I feel much more inclined to purchase from a company if I know the proceeds will be benefiting others and it’s not all about the profit. Great read and lovely that you’re sharing the word :)
Check out the cool one-for-one backpacks at justporter.org and on their Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook too! Buy a backpack and another full of school supplies goes to a child in need.
Akola is an awesome company that does professional development for women in Uganda and Dallas!
Man, I hate to be the person to rain on this parade, but the Toms model doesn’t actually help people (though I don’t know about the other companies you mentioned). There are tons of articles and studies that go into why, but basically it depresses the local economy and creates an aid-based economy that doesn’t work in the long run. What Toms should do is make their shoes in places that could use the economic boost and pay their workers well.
Here is one article on the problems with this model: http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679628/the-broken-buy-one-give-one-model-three-ways-to-save-toms-shoes
Just Porter produces the bags and school supplies in the local communities in which the backpacks are given. So jobs are created, the students receive locally made goods, and the bags for purchase are of good quality and exported to multiple countries. One for one and a win-win!
Shout out to all those companies that do not employ sweatshops and human factories out of greed or for fast fashion.
Check out One Another @oneanother.com.au for ethical and beautiful homewares. All hand made by amazing artisans in India and Africa who are paid fairly to create gorgeous cushions, and throws. Not available in the States yet sadly
One more I just remembered: BOMBAS athletic socks!